About this project

$1,750

41

Eliza Rickman + The Smith Project =

O, You Sinners ~ Alive and Dancing

While
performing in New Orleans in September, Marisa MacKay had the opportunity to
experience the magical music of performance artist, singer, song writer, and
composer, Eliza Rickman. Her concert was held in grass-roots performance space
called the AllWays Lounge, just off the beaten path a few miles out from the
French Quarter. The idea of a collaboration, a co-collective concert between
the music prodigy and dancers struck Marisa when Eliza announced she was going
to play “a waltz” and invited anyone to feel free to get up in dance. Marisa
gripped herself to her chair resisting the melody and the movement she felt in
her body. Yes, this had to happen.

The
dancers were instantly taken with Eliza’s music just as Marisa had been and they also agreed that the
project was a “Go”. Eliza then willingly signed on to the live performance
collaboration. On Friday, June 15th and Saturday, June 16th
at Off Center Theatre in Crown Center, San Francisco based Eliza Rickman will
join Kansas City’s The Smith Project for an once-in-a-lifetime performance art spectacle
of emotional sound and sight entitled, “O, You Sinners ~ Alive and Dancing”. As
Eliza performs her repertoire live on stage, the dancers will dance their
choreography and emotions on stage with her, sharing the lights and space with
artistic precision and dedication.

Your
gift of funds for this Kickstarter project will go toward and help with
theatrical venue and technical costs, grand piano rental and tuning,
advertising and promotions, production incidentals and performer compensation.
The dancers have been rehearsing for this concert since October without any
sort of monetary return and are providing their own costumes for the
performance. Eliza is currently touring the nation paying out of pocket and
while booking gigs and relying on album sales to fund her tour.

The
Smith Project is a contemporary and theatrical dance company created to carry
audiences into a new age of ever-evolving, vibrant dance performances by
combining installments of the technology arts, composers, visual arts, dance
styles and techniques while supporting innovative, professional artists in the
community.

Created
by Marisa MacKay, [former Director, choreographer, and dancer of Reach…a
movement collective, inc.; Current Performance Artist Resident of Charlotte
Street, Inspiration Grant Award Recipient of The Arts Council of Metropolitan
Kansas City, and chosen for the recent gallery installation of “The Dinner
Party,” presented in part of the Charlotte Street’s “Dining Room Project.”] The
Smith Project is a new dance company established in Kansas City in 2011.
Dancers and Choreographers of The Smith Project include: Cecily Boyd, Bobbi
Foudree, Tara Glaus, Margaret Gordon, Nicole Hall, Amy Hurrelbrink, Amanda
January, Marisa MacKay, Leigh Patterson and Stephen Plante.

There
is always a hint of menace and reservoirs of force haunting the corners of
Eliza Rickman’s voice, whatever register it occupies. Her presence on
stage—whether she wears flowers in her hair, or stuffed birds; whether she
plays a toy piano or a grand piano—is an enveloping, soft darkness, impossible
to ignore. It is quite a surprise that Rickman didn’t even realize she could
sing until after she earned a degree in orchestration from Azusa Pacific
University, because her voice is the most enthralling and salient feature of
any on the tracks from her new album 'O, You Sinners'. And this is saying
something, considering her deftness as a pianist and her subtlety as a
composer. Like Kate Bush's work, or like PJ Harvey’s album 'White Chalk', the
arrangements on 'O, You Sinners' are edged with dissonance. Like Andrew Bird,
she favors pizzicato strings over junkyard percussion and complex lyrical
melodies. Indeed, Rickman’s co-producer Mark Greenberg is a frequent
contributor to Bird’s albums (as well as to Wilco’s 'The Whole Love' and to the
Grammy Award-winning Mavis Staples’s album 'You Are Not Alone').

Religious themes pervade Rickman’s work—her album is, after all, titled 'O, You
Sinners'. She is the daughter of a pastor, and started playing piano in church
at the age of 13. But like one of her great influences- Nick Cave- her writing
belies ambivalence about religion. Good and evil; love, both God’s love and
carnal love; sinners and saints; desire and repentance, all find a place in
Rickman’s songs. They lurk behind the scrim- whatever stage she sets. The coin
of her realm is stamped with the will of God, and whether you are a doubter or
a believer you must deal in her currency if you want her to ferry you ashore.
“O, you sinners” she sings, “hear me.” And how could we not listen?

The
Smith Project and Eliza Rickman thank you for your support of live, performance
art and our artistic collaboration, “O, You Sinners ~ Alive and Dancing”. Your
support for our artistic endeavors allows us to continue to create live,
progressive performance art and spectacle for your enjoyment. THANK YOU!

FAQ

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Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $200 or more
About $200

“Died and Gone to Heaven” - Thank you in the program, 6 tickets to your performance of choice, invitation for six to the Glory After Party following the performance, One O, You Sinners CDs autographed by Eliza Rickman

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $300 or more
About $300

“Dancing with Divinity” - Thank you in the program, photo opportunity with the cast after the show, 2 to the exclusive tech run Thursday, June 14th, 6 tickets to your performance of choice, invitation for six to the Glory After Party following the performance, Two O, You Sinners CDs autographed by Eliza Rickman, 1 DVD of the collaborative performance

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

“Signed Soul” - Thank you in the program, photo opportunity with the cast after the show, unlimited guests to the exclusive tech run Thursday, June 14th, 10 tickets to your performance of choice, invitation for ten to the Glory After Party following the performance, Five O, You Sinners CDs autographed by Eliza Rickman, 3 DVD of the collaborative performance